Contributor I

Answered

Sonos Arc Ultra center channel too loud

160 replies
10109 views

I like that the dialog is very easy to hear without having to turn on any dialog adjustments. The problem is I barely hear the left and right channel audio. Background music is barely audible. I’ve tried it with both Trueplay turned on and off and there isn’t much improvement. I know the left/right channels are working because I hear music. Anyone else have this problem?

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

Corry PAnswer

Sonos Staff

Hi @not_convinced & @mindthings

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Sorry to hear that you are not both entirely happy with your new purchases. I recommend you get in touch with our technical support team who have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your Sonos system and what it reports - if there is an issue with the sound mix, it will need to be documented before it can be addressed.

I hope this helps.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

Show previous replies

D

D700

Enthusiast II

Join the crowd. I’m hoping the new management will push through their backward thinking and just give us a pseudo channel volume control. Yes I know sounds are muxed, yes I know multiple drivers firing but surely then let us adjust volume for those dedicated FL/R drivers on the Ultra.

I added Front Fives with a 3rd party app and its nearly stellar...but having the opposite problem, now I need to nudge the Center channel up a few decibels in comparison to the Fives.

Again, Sonos, make us happy please, this can’t be that hard.

D

disgbadger

Lyricist II

Agreed with this. The fact that after just a couple of weeks with the soundbar and I’m tempted to cut my losses, sell it and get a different brand isn’t ideal for a HK$15,000 (£1,500) setup of bar and sub.

@SONOS if you want to retain customers and not lose them, time to address these concerns.

106rallye

On the other hand, I like my Arc Ultra Sub (Gen 2), One and One SL set up as it is. If Sonos would decide to change its behaviour, please make the “New Coke” sound a choice.

D

D700

Enthusiast II

On the other hand, I like my Arc Ultra Sub (Gen 2), One and One SL set up as it is. If Sonos would decide to change its behaviour, please make the “New Coke” sound a choice.

Ouch!

Were just asking for the ability to adjust Front Left/Front Right and Center Loudness, no different than the sliders already available for Surround, Height and Sub

G

Gavalar

Enthusiast II

@Corry P has there been any movement on having a slider to adjust centre volume please?

Many thanks

G

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @Gavalar

I don’t think either of us will find out before it happens - if it happens.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein

G

GuyinPA75

Enthusiast I

I noticed the same with my new Arc Ultra. At first, I was very pleased with the clarity during dialogues, but now I have noticed with many films (Atmos or D5.1) that in scenes where the music or effects should be in the foreground, they come across very quietly. I used a Dolby test video to listen to the individual speakers, and yes, the left and right front channels are much quieter than the center or even rear speakers (tested with and without speech enhancement). Is this intentional on Sonos' part? I wonder why I bought a $999 soundbar when my built-in TV speakers convey more “action”. It would really help if you could adjust the volume of the center and front speakers in the app.

Having basically the same exact issue.

Here is my setup. LG G4 77 inch, Arc Ultra, Sub 4, pair Era 300s, and Xbox Series X.

Issue I am having is what seems to be center channel on Arc Ultra not producing proper audio.

REALLY notice it in Borderlands 3 when NPC is talking. Dialogue is incredibly low or nonexistent when it should be VERY present in the foreground, since NPC is right in front your character. If do turn my character on screen at just certain diagonal position in relation to NPC, it provides little better audio. Elder Scrolls Online when completing a dolmen, after all the pinions are closed, and Molag Bal is speaking (offscreen, but speaking “overhead”) right before final enemy drops, Molag Bal is near impossible to hear.

But all other audio, in the moment, in both above examples are completely normal. Just dialogue being the issues.

Neither of the above examples EVER happened when used Bose Lifestyle 650.

It is so very noticeable. Not only ruins any fun in playing the games, but really, really, has me regret purchasing the complete Sonos system.

D

D700

Enthusiast II

@GuyinPA75

Not sure if you’ve read through all the threads...but I managed to document this problem with Dolby Test Files, decibel meter, and videos of testing to Sonos. It went through support, navigated to an appointment with upper level support who spent hour with me virtually testing things, acknowledged it but subsequently a month letter said the official word on this from Sonos is “Working As Designed”

Since I was out of the return period, I made the best of it. I’ve added a pair of Fives as dedicated FR/FL via a 3rd party tool. Now my FL/FR are little strong compared to center but it's much better than Ultra by itself and really pretty good. (Fives are amazing by themselves). I am counting on Sonos in the next year deploying native support for separates, along with some channel level controls for Front/Center as companion to existing Surround/Height controls.

Long term, if they don’t, I’ll eventually sell it all and move to a competitor’s system that doesn’t have this limitation.

Alongside Sonos, I question the whole review ecosystem that failed to recognize this defect.

Smilja

@GuyinPA75, Is your system up-to-date? I think that yesterday’s firmware update addresses the Arc Ultra’s center channel volume in some way.

Update your Sonos speakers | Sonos

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)

R

Rawjanus

Collaborator I

Yesterdays firmware did not change anything in this regard.

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community